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Isle of Wight: Pioneering varicose vein treatment

NO PAIN IN VEIN AT HOSPITAL

By Martin Neville - Friday, June 27, 2008
NO PAIN IN VEIN AT HOSPITAL
Surgeon Stephen Baxter, who performs the revolutionary varicose vein procedures. Picture by Jennifer Burton.
THE Island is pioneering a new treatment for painful varicose veins, which has dramatically cut recovery times.
Traditional vein-stripping surgery often left patients unable to drive for a week, while a full recovery could take up to a fortnight.
But people who undergo a new procedure at Newport's St Mary’s Hospital can, quite literally, walk off the operating table.
Using a fine catheter, developed by American company VNUS, which has a subsidiary company in Southampton, surgeons are able to heat and shrink the vein under local anaesthetic.
Around 80 per cent of varicose vein operations on the Island are now done in this way.
“The biggest advantage is patients are avoiding a general anaesthetic and recovery time seems to be a lot quicker,” said vascular surgeon Stephen Baxter.
“And we find quite a few people don’t use any sort of pain relief afterwards.
“The trust doesn’t have to find an anaesthetist and it frees up a theatre because this can be done in the procedure room. Outside London there is probably no other trust that has really taken it on board as much as St Mary’s.”
Eric Coling, of Marina Avenue, Appley, underwent the procedure on Thursday last week and said the operation, which lasted around an hour, was fairly painless.
“The most painful bit was putting the needle in for the anaesthetic,” said Mr Coling, 71.
“You can walk out of the operating theatre. Now it’s just left some bruising.
“I was surprised at how quick and easy the whole process was.”